Bolshoi dancer arrested for acid attack on artistic director

A dancer who is a leading soloist with the Bolshoi Ballet has confessed to an acid attack on the company’s artistic director.

Pavel Dmitrichenko, who allegedly masterminded the attack, was arrested on Tuesday along with two other men, one of whom is suspected of carrying out the attack and one accused of driving a getaway car.

An attacker threw sulphuric acid at Sergei Filin, 42, on 17 January. His eyesight was badly damaged in the attack and he has also suffered facial disfigurement.

Filin has now moved to Germany where doctors have carried out several operations and are hopeful of restoring his sight.

‘At the current time all three have signed confessions and have been placed under arrest,’ said Moscow police. ‘The necessary investigative work is being undertaken to establish all the circumstances of the crime.’

Dmitrichenko had been playing the lead in Prokofiev’s ballet Ivan the Terrible. His flat was searched by police on Tuesday.

Moscow police are treating the attack as a premeditated act of grevious bodily harm, motivated by Sergei Filin’s professional activities.